Annapolis, Maryland
Dallas, Texas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Indianapolis, Indiana
Phoenix, Arizona
Salt Lake City, Utah
San Diego, California
Toledo, Ohio

• In order to maintain an awareness of where the City is on its environmental journey, the COA created the Environmental Inter-Disciplinary Team. City staff from all departments that handle environmental issues (Recreation & Parks, Planning & Zoning, the Department of Public Works, Transportation, Economic Development, Police, Fire, and DNEP) meet once a month to discuss on-going and future projects taking place in Annapolis.
• The City’s energy efficiency policies include a commitment to purchase municipal electrical needs from renewable generation sources such as wind and solar. The State of Maryland has enacted legislation that will require all jurisdictions to purchase a percentage of their total electrical needs from renewable sources, with the potential renewables purchased to be as high as 12% by the year 2018. In 2005 Annapolis was recognized as a Power Switch Partner by World Wildlife Fund. The commitment is to purchase a minimum of 20% of municipal electrical needs from renewable energy resources, which will generate zero pollutant emissions by 2020.
• The City of Annapolis has a purchasing policy that emphasizes the acquisition of environmentally friendly and energy efficient products (e.g., recycled plastic and paper products).  As a result of this policy, the City has purchased several energy efficient hybrid vehicles and on January 1, 2003, City departments began to switch to recycled-content paper products, biodegradable cleaning supplies, and energy-efficient business machines and appliances.
• City planners incorporate green building practices on all construction and renovation projects, and the Department of Public Works continues to replace traffic signals, crosswalk signs, street lights and building fixtures with light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which use less energy but last longer and burn brighter than old-fashioned light bulbs.

• Fayetteville is the sixth fastest growing MSA in the US. Fayettevilles City Plan 2025 prepares for this growth by encouraging infill and revitalization, an enduring green network, and alternative transportation, while discouraging sprawl. City Plan 2025 won the 2007 International Charter Award as presented by the Congress of New Urbanism.
• Adopted in 2003, the Fayetteville Alternative Transportation and Trail (FATT) Master Plan includes 129 miles of multi-use trails and 163 miles of on-street linkages within the city. The goal of FATT is to establish alternative modes of transportation and active recreation as an integral part of daily life. The plan purposefully links major residential and commercial areas with local schools, Fayettevilles downtown area, and the University of Arkansas campus to maximize use of the trail.
  
  

• Fifty percent of the City's fleet is powered by Arkansas-grown biofuel, which produces fewer greenhouse gases than conventional diesel. The City also anticipates saving over $14,000 annually with expected growth as oil prices continue to rise. Installed in June 2007, the biofuel pump is considered to be the first of its kind by mixing the biofuel and diesel at the pump.
• The University of Arkansas Applied Sustainability Center is translating Arkansas' legacy of conservation and the ingenious use and reuse of resources into best management practices for businesses that will increase their long-term profitability and at the same time benefit society through more judicious use of land, water, air, fossil fuels and other natural resources. The Applied Sustainability Center works with disparate partners to facilitate the rapid development of sustainable business practices and promote their application across the retail and consumer goods industries. Working together through the Center, businesses, nongovernmental organizations, universities, and other interested parties can help to achieve environmental stability for future generations.
  
  

Cool Mayors - Mayor Phil Gordon has signed the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Look for Cool Mayor Gordons profile on www.coolmayors.org

Sustainability Report - The City of Phoenix has recently completed a Sustainability Report that highlights over 70 different environmental stewardship and climate protection programs. www.phoenix.gov/sustainability

	Phoenix has made it a priority to increase open space, provide accessible trails and protect wildlife.

Cities for Climate Protection - The City of Phoenix has joined ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainabilitys Cities for Climate Protection Campaign. The City will be conducting a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and climate action plan starting later this year.

Urban Heat Island - The City of Phoenix Urban Heat Island Task Force is working in collaboration with Arizona State Universitys Global Institute of Sustainability to study the impacts of the Urban Heat Island and consider possible mitigation strategies.

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing - The City of Phoenix recently received a national award from the US Environmental Protection Agency for purchasing environmentally preferable computers that are certified by EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool). The energy savings from purchasing these energy efficient computers has removed the equivalent of 1743 cars from the road per year, as well as providing other environmental benefits. Riparian Area Restoration and Preservation The City of Phoenix award-winning restoration projects help preserve the Citys riparian areas. The 595-acre Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Project, which was once a deteriorated dumping site along the Salt River, has now been restored to a native wetland with riverbank habitats, a lush riparian corridor of stream, wetlands, trees, and desert grasslands. The Tres Rios Project includes restoration of 1,500 acres for native riparian habitat, water quality improvement, flood damage reduction, recreation, and environmental education. This nationally recognized project hosts many school tours, scouting activities, and Audubon Society gatherings and reflects an effective and sustainable approach to water reclamation and river restoration. http://phoenix.gov/RIOSALADO/index.html

	METRO light rail and the city of Phoenix recently received an award from the Environmental Protection Agency, which honored the 20-mile project for its smart growth efforts and pollution reduction initiative.

Light Rail - The 20-mile METRO Light Rail system will connect the valley cities and help to reduce congestion and pollution. An additional 27.7 miles was approved by the voters.
www.valleymetro.org

Mountain Preserves - Since 1924, Phoenix has dedicated efforts to increase open space, protect wildlife and enhance trails throughout Phoenix. Aided by watchful and involved citizens, successful bond issues have led to the acquisition of 30,000 acres, including South Mountain Park/Preserve, the largest municipal park in the country. North and South Mountain Parks both have extensive trail systems, environmental education centers, and ranger-led outdoor programs to allow visitors to gain new insight into the richness and diversity of the Sonoran Desert ecosystem.
http://phoenix.gov/PARKS/hikemain.html

National Conversation on Climate Action Event
October 4, 2007

Event Location: The Leonardo, 209 East 500 South, Salt Lake City

Event Hosts: Salt Lake City, Utah Science Center, The Leonardo

Event Timeline: Early bird activities from 3:30 to 7:00 pm, event from 7:00 to 10:00

• Electric and alternative fuel vehicle demonstrations
• “Climate Action—What Can Local Officials Do?” Panel Discussion with local area mayors and mayoral candidate

• In 2005 Salt Lake City committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 21 percent by 2012 – 14 percent more than Kyoto levels. In 2006 Salt Lake City hit their greenhouse gas emissions reduction target seven years ahead of schedule.
• In 2001, Salt Lake City changed all the lighting at the City and County building to compact fluorescent bulbs and higher efficiency grounds lighting. This action not only reduced the demand for energy from coal fired power plants, but saved taxpayers over $33,000 per year. Salt Lake City also has a phased program to convert all of the traffic signals to LED lights. When this project is completed savings from the LED conversion will equal over $50,000 per year.
• Salt Lake City began building their TRAX light rail system in 2005, a two-line light rail system in Utah's Salt Lake Valley, serving Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, Murray, Midvale and Sandy. The TRAX light rail system has reduced annual CO2 emissions by 33,000 tons each year.
• Mayor Anderson issued an Executive Order requiring that all city owned and operated new construction or major renovations be LEED Silver Certified. This will ensure that Salt Lake City is building and maintain innovative  high performance buildings which have less impact on occupant health, energy demand and the environment.

• This year the City of San Diego was among 13 national cities chosen by the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a comprehensive plan to promote the increased use of clean, renewable solar-powered technologies in the city. San Diego is one of 13 cities that will split $2.5 million as part of the grant.
• The City of San Diego’s Collection Services Division was named 2005 Fleet of the Year by Fleet Owner magazine.  The City’s Collection Services management team has a long history of innovation in San Diego. They launched three initiatives in 2004 that saves the city more than $18 million over a period of 10 years, improves service standards for collection vehicles and cuts tailpipe emissions in excess of California’s already demanding standards.

Event Location: University of Toledo College of Law Auditorium

Event Timeline:

October 4, 2007  6:30 – 9:00 PM
6:30 – 6:40  Welcome
6:40 – 6:45  Introductions
6:45 – 7:45  Keynote Presentation on Climate Change
7:45 – 9:00  Local Panel on Climate Action

Event Hosts:
City of Toledo and the University of Toledo

Event Focus:
The purpose of our forum is to educate our community about the science of global climate change and to increase their awareness of work that is already being done locally toward climate protection.  The event will include a keynote presentation, Understanding Climate Change, by Dr. Lonnie Thompson, glaciologist and Distinguished University Professor in the School of Earth Sciences at The Ohio State University.  Dr. Thompson’s research, which utilizes ice cores from the world’s glaciers to reconstruct the earth’s climate history, has established him as one of the world’s leading climate scientists.  The event will conclude with a panel of government, university and business leaders who will discuss what is being done locally to promote sustainability and climate protection.  Panelists scheduled to speak include Dr. Frank Calzonetti, Vice Provost for Research and Economic Development, University of Toledo; Dr. Jiquan Chen, Professor of Ecology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo; Ken Neidert, Commissioner, City of Toledo, Department of Public Service, Division of Fleet and Facilities; Tina Skeldon Wozniak, President, Lucas County Commissioners; Ray Michum, Architect, The Collaborative; Andrew Watterson, Sustainability Manager, City of Cleveland; and Mark R. Frye, President and Owner, Palmer Energy Company.  The moderator will be T. Casey Stephens, Commissioner, City of Toledo, Department of Public Utilities, Division of Environmental Services. 

Toledo Climate Action Highlights:

• The City of Toledo joined the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign in 1998.  It has recently completed an energy audit to expand the impact of the Energy Management Program initiated in 1985, which retrofit 20 city buildings with new HVAC systems, energy efficient lighting and improved weatherization measures and facility management systems.  In December of 2006, the Ohio EPA and the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) approved a 26.7 million dollar, low-interest Ohio Water Pollution Control Loan to the City to install a combined-cycle cogeneration plant using waste bioenergy resources at its Bay View Water Reclamation Facility.  The cogeneration plant will be fueled primarily by Bay View’s solid waste digester gas as well as landfill gas from the Hoffman Road Landfill.  The City of Toledo, together with its community partners, TMACOG, TARTA, Share A Ride, ODOT and Ohio EPA Northwest District, continues to sponsor Ozone Action Days to educate its citizens about conditions that warrant measures to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC).  The Toledo area was redesignated to attainment for the 8-hour ozone standard in August of 2007.  The City supports an aggressive urban forestry program and has been designated a Tree City USA for more than 25 years.

	The University of Toledo’s Research and Technology Center houses the Clean and Alternative Energy Incubator.

• The University of Toledo has been involved with advancing solar technology for over 20 years and committed to building a program in alternative and renewable energy in 2001.  The Clean and Alternative Energy Incubator was established to nurture spin off businesses and alternative energy companies into stable expanding businesses.  One incubator tenant, the Wright Center for Photovoltaic Innovation and Commercialization (2006) plans to address numerous aspects of photovoltaic research, including improvements to materials and technology and ways to lower production costs and improve efficiency of solar technologies, focusing on thin film materials.  Other incubator tenants include the Center for Photovoltaic Electricity and Hydrogen, Midwest Optoelectronics, Advanced Distributed Generation, H2 Energy Systems, Green Energy Ohio and Ugly Data.

•  Lucas County is in the process of designing and constructing what is hoped will be the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified sports arena in the country.  Features that the Commissioners hope to incorporate include passive solar energy, a cool roof, state-of-the-art, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, low-flow plumbing, recycled building materials and paints and carpeting low in VOC. Ground was broken on October 1, 2007 at the downtown Toledo site, and the facility is scheduled to open in the fall of 2008. 

The world headquarters of Owens Corning is the first building in Toledo to earn the Silver Certification designation under the LEED  Existing Building program.

• The world headquarters of Owens Corning has searned Silver Certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED Existing Building (EB) program. To achieve the award, the building's design and operation has met stringent standards as an energy-efficient, environmentally responsible and healthy place to live and work.  The Owens Corning world headquarters is the first building in Toledo to earn this important designation. The building had already earned an Energy Star rating, which ranks it among the top 25 percent of energy-efficient buildings in the U.S.